StratTalk eNews — Issue 2, May 2008

Welcome to this edition of 60 Minute Strategic Plan eNews Monthly. Spring is in the air and, if you’re like us, many of you are itching to take a vacation rather than focus on work. So for those of you with a short‑attention‑span fever, we will try and keep this issue short, sweet, and chock‑full of interesting tips and tricks. So sit back and enjoy!

John E. Johnson, CEO
Anne Marie Smith, President

The Great American Leader Meter: Leadership Insights

The democratic race is quickly sprinting to the finish line. As the Democrats fight amongst themselves and the Republicans become spectators in their own game, the American people can expect the real mudslinging to start come summer and fall once the dust has settled. If you try and boil down the overall theme of the presidential race, the big question to answer is about leadership qualifications. The candidate that successfully demonstrates their answer to who will make the best leader, wins! Hence, we understand the importance of understanding the value and significance of leadership not just in politics but in business.

Since leadership matters, we thought we would spend a little time in this issue focused on what makes a great leader and consequently how that leader inspires employees and creates a successful company. Studies find no leadership style prevails. Leaders come in all shapes and flavors. That being the case, the only way to judge a successful leader is by the success of his or her followers. In 60 Minute Strategic Planning workshops we state, You cannot succeed unless your people succeed, therefore, your only job is making your people successful.

Consider this: You are a leader if you are a parent, teacher, coach, consultant, politician, manager, or anyone held responsible for another’s performance. For example:

• Teachers are successful leaders when they teach their students to love learning
• Parents are successful leaders when they raise internally strong, contributing children
• Coaches are successful leaders when their players achieve new personal bests
• Consultants are successful leaders when their advice changes clients for the better
• Managers are successful leaders when their employees are stretched, productive, and fulfilled in their jobs
• Politicians are successful leaders when they contribute to societal progress

I recall very few leaders, but I can recall them as far back as childhood because they made a difference in my life. An old and greatly accomplished aunt repeatedly urged me as a child to make something of myself and that advice echoed and re-echoed throughout my life.

Can leaders be made or are they just born that way and why does there seem to be a scarcity? That there are so few can partly be explained by the Peter Principle, which claims that people tend to be promoted to their level of incompetence, where they stall in place and thereafter negatively impact the lives of their subordinates. Buckingham and Coffman in their seminal book First Break All the Rules, found that people join companies but quit managers; i.e. managers trump companies.

Working With Employees

Doing exhaustive research with the Gallup Organization, Buckingham and Coffman found the most discriminating criteria for great managers is how they treat their subordinates. So please take a moment to review these tips, which are based on that criteria, and consider how you take steps to work this way with your employees.

1. 1:  Make sure your employees know what is expected of them at work.
2. 2:  Ensure your employees have the materials and equipment to do their work.
3. 3:  Provide an opportunity for your employees to do what they do best every day.
4. 4:  Recognize and praise your employees at least once a week.
5. 5:  Mentor, encourage and show consideration to your employees.

Help Us Start a Sacramento Chapter of the Association of Strategic Planning

60 Minute Strategic Plan invites regional Sacramento business people to help us start a chapter of the Association of Strategic Planning (ASP) (http://www.strategyplus.org/startachapter.shtml), the only not-for-profit professional association dedicated to advancing thought and practice in strategy development and deployment for business, non‑profit, and government organizations. We only need five paid members to launch our own chapter for the greater Sacramento region. By participating in the creation of the chapter from the ground floor, you will have an opportunity to shape the forum and content of our discussion to help you become a more effective strategic planner.

ASP provides opportunities to explore cutting‑edge strategic planning principles and practices that enhance organizational success and advance members’ and organizations’ knowledge, capability, capacity for innovation, and professionalism. Come meet us and network with your fellow strategic planning professionals. For more information, contact John E. Johnson at JohnE57@aol.com.

Blog-O-Licious

The new StratTalk Blog has arrived. We are excited to provide weekly posts about ongoing strategic planning issues, ideas and suggestions. We started the blog to create an interactive forum where our CEO John E. Johnson can interact with members of strategic planning community in a positive and effective way. We welcome all of our readers to join in the ongoing discussion. If you have any questions, we want to hear from you. Please send Johnson an e-mail at JohnE57@aol.com.